The Path of Forgiveness
by Chocolate414
Summary: "The fall of the amazons will come from the hand of a child that you have forgotten. And with the fall of the amazons, the centaurs will follow. War shall plague the land for hundreds of years in greece and many will die before it is there time."
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone Chocolate414 here. I've been reading so many stories from here that I finally decided to create my own. Now, just for fair warning I want you guys to know that I've always had it stuck in my head that Xena should've ended up with Callisto. She is after all my favorite character (second to Xena of course). This is the first chapter and I would love too hear what you guys think. If you think its a lost cause send me a message and I'll leave this story alone. But, I just want you all to know that I have some big plans for this story.

Again this is a Xena/Callisto fic. So for all of you who are Xena/Gabrielle fans... just give it a chance...

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

Artemis, goddess of the hunt and patron goddess of the amazons stood in her realm on Mount Olympus. Her golden brown eyes were looking in a watery pool surveying her territory on greece. For months she'd been plagued with images of her amazons downfall. The fates had decreed it, seers had for told it, and this same watery pool that her father Zeus had given her, showed the gruesome event.

_"The fall of the amazons will come from the hand of a child that you have forgotten." Clotho stated._

_"And with the fall of the amazons, the centaurs will follow." Lachesis said._

_"War shall plague the land for hundreds of years in greece and many will die before it is there time." Atropos followed._

_"How can I stop this from happening? When can I expect for this to begin? Is there enough time?" Artemis was frantic, her amazons and the centaurs were at stake. She hoped that she could change the future in time. All she needed was a chance._

_"There is a small window. If you can change the course of the future within this time. There may be hope. Lachesis said._

_"Within a years time, your amazons will die." Clotho said._

_"Please tell me how to stop this." Artemis wasn't used to begging but she was scared. The other Gods including herself could feel that something was coming. They felt it within them, in their hearts, their minds, and even in their spirits. Zeus was the first to ask the fates and they sent him directly to Artemis._

_"Rage, anguish, fear, and hurt plague this persons heart. It may be to late. You must fill this persons heart with love and forgiveness or Greece will fall." Atropos answered._

_"I don't know who this person is. How will I find them?"_

_"Look within yourself." All of the fates said this at once. They disappeared in shimmering light and Artemis returned to her own temple._

The fates words plagued the goddesses mind. With every passing day her heart grew with fear for the upcoming future.

"The fall of the amazons will come from the hand of a child that you have forgotten." Artemis repeated.

And then finally it dawned on her who it was. The one she left behind. Artemis focused on the pool in front of her. The scene changed to an area south of greece. One persons face encompassed the entire pool and the goddess felt tears brim to the surface. The fates were right. All she had to do was look within herself to find out who this person was.

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><p>Callisto stood in her tent going over various battle plans. Her recent destruction and pillage of various villages in southern greece soothed her. But only temporarily. She'd been brought back to life by Hera and after nearly killing Hercules, she was now immortal. She narrowly escaped being trapped within the golden apples' tomb and Hercules had been none the wiser.<p>

"The big oaf believed that I was trapped." Callisto smiled menacingly as she thought of how she tricked Zeus' son.

"Callisto the men are ready and prepared to travel." Dante, Callisto's second in command declared.

"Good we'll be heading east to one more village before we begin my campaign to double my army's troops." Dante nodded.

"Which city will we be going to?" Callisto glared. "If you don't mind me asking?" Callisto took a step forward and looked in Dante's eyes. "Potaidea" She smiled at the surprised look on Dante's face.

"But why captain?" The sharp look that Callisto gave him almost made him stutter but Dante continued his questioning. He was first answered with a wild look, full of rage, anger, and insanity.

"Some old friends of mine are connected to that village. I owe a favor to one of them and I would just love to return it." Callisto stared at Dante for a moment before she dismissed him and went back to her battle plans. She would give her men a good night's rest and tomorrow she would head east.

"I hope you're ready for me warrior princess. I can't wait to begin our duel once again. Only this time you'll be the one dying."

Callisto's anger and rage began to bubble over once again. Immortality cleared her mind of most of its insanity but the rage, hate, and anger only grew. As soon as she left Hercules, she began building her new army. It was easy when soldiers found out that she was immortal. She was the closest god-like warlord to ever step foot on greece. Her name commanded more fear than it ever did before and for all intensive purposes she was becoming more well known than Xena herself.

Callisto had taken plenty of precautions. One of them, was attacking southern villages first. These villages were less guarded throughout greece and created safe havens for her men. With every attack she gained men from each one of those villages. It was quite simple really. She told the men if they didn't fight for her she would kill there families, if they did fight for her and they pledged there loyalties, then they would share her spoils and there villages would obtain the security they should have been granted by greece before. In less than six months she amassed more than four hundred men. Callisto gained control of southern greece by controlling these villages. She made sure that her name was never told to the other guarded areas of greece. Quietly gaining the forefront she needed to finally deliver a striking blow to Xena and her little pet. Callisto had grown and was now a smart tactician.

Callisto's senses had grown immensely with her immortality as well. She could feel another presence in the room with her. She'd felt it for the past few days and new she was being watched. She smirked, it could only be one person.

"Come on out Ares. I can feel your presence. Aren't you Gods supposed to be all powerful? Funny, you can't even hide from a little immortal like myself." She turned around and saw a flash of light, only to be caught off guard by a different God's voice.

"Oh come on now blondie. Don't look so suprised." Callisto stood face to face with the goddess of love. She was stunned but only let it show for a few seconds before she fixed her face and gave Aphrodite a menacing glare.

"Now what have I done to gain a visit from the goddess of love? I certainly haven't been looking for lovers as of lately. Me conquering greece and all." Callisto smirked at Aphrodite and started playing with one of her knives.

Aphrodite could feel the hate coming off of Callisto in waves. She'd never met anyone, mortal or immortal, who had this much hate within them. She was momentarily shocked with the enormity of it. Artemis told her the severity of the situation but she couldn't believe it was this bad. Aphrodite had the power to look within Callisto's heart and the pain she felt nearly broke her. She didn't understand how the woman before her was still standing, let alone making battle plans and playing with a knife.

"How may I help you Aphrodite?" Callisto was growing impatient. Even if the woman before her was a Goddess, no one kept her waiting.

"I don't appreciate my temple being used as a sleeping area for your men. The priestess' of my temple were barely alive when you left. You're men nearly killed them all." Callisto yawned at the goddess.

"And I care because? You should be grateful they left them alive." Callisto smiled evilly.

"You should care Callisto. You may be immortal but I am still a goddess and I can..."

"You can do what? Picture the goddess of love trying to hurt me. It's funny to even think about. What can you really do to me Aphrodite, keep me from love. I've done that all by myself." Callisto smiled like a maniac and Aphrodite felt her anger begin to bubble.

"One of your men raped one of my priestesses." Aphrodite saw a momentary change on Callisto's face. Her hatred seemed less palpable for only a second and a feeling of sadness took over the raging immortal. If for only a moment. "I know how you feel or once felt about rape, I thought that you would at least do something about that." Aphrodite felt Callisto's anger and hate come back in full force as she looked at the blonde goddess.

"Show me which one it was." The look Aphrodite saw in those eyes was something a murderer would be scared of. With her hand she blew a kiss to Callisto, sending sparkles to the blonde and they covered her face before they disappeared. An image came to Callisto's mind as she closed her eyes.

Black hair, green eyes, a long beard, and a scar across his left eye. Callisto knew exactly who it was.

"I'm guessing that I am the only one that will be able to see you?" Aphrodite nodded. "Good. Dante come in here NOW!" The second in command rushed in without a moments hesitation. "Bring in that new archer from the last village we plundered." With a nod Dante left with haste. Aphrodite watched a sick grin come across Callisto's face and new that the man that raped her priestess was going to be punished. She just didn't know if it was going to be a good thing or a bad thing.

"You know Aphrodite, when my village was burning to the ground, and all of my friends were dying in front of me I felt pain, sadness, hurt... everything that you can think of. I see you trying to look for goodness within me but there is none. I watched my sister get burned alive and my mother.." Aphrodite watched as Callisto's eyes went eerie. "I watched her get raped by one of Xena's men. I hid behind the window of my own home at eleven years old and watched as my mother was raped and then stabbed in the heart by Dagnon." Aphrodite looked in horror as Callisto's eyes went from dark brown to golden brown. This story wasn't what horrified her, but what she realized when she looked into Callisto's eyes. Those eyes which looked so familiar but belonged to someone else. Someone that she knew "I realized that day, that I didn't need love. I was fine without it." Aphrodite suddenly realized what the fates were telling her sister. By the Gods this had never happened before. She didn't even realize when Dante brought the rapist into Callisto's tent. She watched as Callisto's eyes took an even more golden brown God like quality as she took the man by the throat and and squeezed it until she broke his neck and killed him.

"Is that all Aphrodite? This man is a waste of space and I would love to have his corpse thrown out of my tent before it stinks it up." Aphrodite watched as Callisto's eyes went back to normal. Stunned by what she just discovered Aphrodite only nodded and waved at the man's body as it turned into thin air.

"We are done here." Callisto turned back around to look at her battle plans and Aphrodite returned to Mount Olympus. If her theory was right, then her sister had some explaining to do. And if the fates were telling the truth, that small window giving those amazons a chance for survival just got slimmer.

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><p>So what do you guys think? Again this is my first fiction in this section, so take it easy on me... Be sure to post some reviews...<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Chocolate414 Here- I apologize for not posting in a while. I've been super busy. I hope this chapter brings some more interested readers. Tell me what you think.

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

The city of Potaidaea is a simple place. With it's happy people and it's major quality in livestock, one would think it was just another town.

However, over the years its become a minor heroic site. There have been stories told on how the warrior princess started her good path in this town. Beating Draco in a duel and saving the village's young women from slavery. How the same warrior princess taught a simple farm girl from Potaidaea how to fight, become independent, and saved the village again from another warlord.

With such tales, its no wonder, why this city seemed so alive. Why men, women, and children still seemed to feel safe with the army of greece more than four days away from their town.

The happiness made Callisto sick.

The immortal warrior decided to ride a day ahead of her army just to get an impression of Gabrielle's village. No one seemed to recognize who she was and that made the blonde smile. Her work in the southern areas of greece seemed to have gone unnoticed to other villages. Glancing around, the warrior surveyed the area. There was only one black smith here. After asking around, she was surprised that it was a woman and not a man who was operating the shop. Walking through the town square a few people directed her to where it was located. After walking around and looking at some of the tools and weapons on displays she came face to face with woman covered in soot, with a black apron, and a bucket of water in her hands.

"Can I help you?" The woman gave Callisto a once over. Noticing her battle attire and a few of the knives the blonde had on display.

"Are you the town black smith?" Callisto looked into the other woman's eyes and was surprised at how beautiful they were. The other woman nodded. "I am in need of someone to fix my sword." Callisto pulled the sword off her back and presented it to the other woman. She'd gotten Dante to pick up one of her men's damaged swords.

Although she wished to destroy Gabrielle's village, she would still harvest any good men or WOMEN she thought she would be able to use within her army. Those that presented certain skills wouldn't be killed for no reason. Looking around Callisto could tell that this woman had skills. From axes, to swords, to knives, chain mails, hooves, even shields, this woman had talent. The other woman looked at the sword and saw how bent and bruised it was. She then looked quizzically at the blonde in front of her.

"I can have this fixed for you by the end of the day. Come back in four hours. It'll be three dinars. You can pay me when the work is complete.'' Callisto nodded and then handed over the sword. She turned around, heading out of the shop but then stopped.

"Can I have your name?" Callisto watched as the black smith set the sword down and then poured water on her face. Callisto watched as the soot and dirt dripped off of the other woman and noted how long her dark hair was.

"Alexandra" With a nod Callisto left.

Alexandra watched her until she turned the corner.

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><p>Aphrodite stormed into Artemis' layer. To say that she was not happy would be an understatement. After some searching, she found her sister staring into the mystic pool. Noticing that someone had invaded her privacy, the hellenic goddess of the hunt stood to her full height and regarded her sister with a grunt. Aphrodite was never one to frown but when she did, it meant that there was a major problem. Artemis began to cower under her sister's glare and tried to look at anything instead of the pink goddess in front of her.<p>

Aphrodite had found out.

Without saying a word, the goddess of love had found out in a matter of seconds, a secret that Artemis had kept for almost twenty seasons. Aphrodite moved her hands to her hips and gave her little sister a look that said, " Tell me everything!" Artemis stepped forward and finally looked her sister in the eye. Aphrodite's glare seemed to lessen when she saw the tear streaks on Artemis' cheeks. Stepping forward Aphrodite pulled Artemis into a hug and then they both sat down at one of the tables.

"I have a child." Finally speaking what was on both of their minds, Artemis pulled her emotions together. Aphrodite only nodded.

"I have a niece." The blonde goddess gave a small smile and then spoke again.

"Why is it that I have just found out about my niece today? Why have the fates said that she is the main force that may bring down greece?" A look of remorse covered Artemis' face.

This is all her fault. Zeus would be furious. The other Gods would hate her for this.

A child that was made out of love but born from heart break. Who's life had been hell from the start, who prayed to the Gods for help but never received an answer, who grew up into one of, if not, the coldest, most insane, and most skilled warlords that ever lived.

And from the depths of tartarus itself used her hatred and skill to become immortal.

_"Rage, anguish, fear, and hurt plague this persons heart."_

Yes, what Atropis said was true. And after looking at her daughter completely for the first time in years. She knew that what the fates had said may not even scratch the surface.

"Aphrodite I need your help." The blonde goddess noticed the amount of fear in Artemis' eyes.

"Whatever you need."

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><p>Callisto set up camp near the village by the lake. She always felt better when she was by nature. The forest was close by and after giving it a small glance, Callisto decided to go hunting after she took a moment to herself.<p>

Closing her eyes and focusing on her surroundings, the immortal gave her mind the rest it needed. The blonde had the ability to hear things almost one hundred yards away when she focused. Her strength seemed to multiply when she gave her body the rest it needed and she focused on the nature surrounding her. When she became immortal, Callisto developed a few new abilities but that was all. Outside of not dying, there wasn't much else.

That fact pissed her off. All of the tales she heard, told her about the new abilities one could gain as an immortal. As a mortal she already had most of those abilities and she didn't seem to understand the major excitement of having them.

As a child she thought everyone could run at full speed for hours, or hear things miles away, her hunting abilities were idolized by warriors three times her age as a child, and her ability to withstand any type of weather such as the freezing cold for days without getting sick or freezing to death made her a wonder within her village as a child. Her mother, although she loved her, sometimes looked at her as if she was someone else when she did certain things. Her little sister couldn't do half the things she could do and they were only two seasons apart. When her village was destroyed, she taught her self how to use a sword.

She was only eleven years old.

Many knew about her skills with a sword but if they knew her ability with a bow and arrow, they would die with freight.

Sometimes when she slept, she would imagine another woman, though not her mother she still gave her that feeling as if she was. Her long dark hair and glowing dark brown eyes would scare her as a child but now they provided her comfort.

And when she let her mind roam free away from her surroundings, the rage, the anger, the insanity, sometimes she could see her.

Who this woman was, she never knew, but the connection she felt to her was the strongest she'd felt to anyone.

Unbeknownst to her, up on Olympus, this same woman felt it too.

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><p>The next chapter I plan on having a battle scene and finally bringing Xena into the picture. Also, Artemis will have to tell her father and the rest of the Gods about Callisto and trust me, he will not be happy.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Chocolate414 Here- Here's another chapter to my story entitled Path of Forgiveness. This chapter is a little bit longer than my last two. I hope that you guys like it. Xena and Gabrielle are in this chapter. Tell me what you guys think.

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><p>Chapter 3<p>

Climbing a tall tree in the forest, Callisto stood on a large branch so that she could over look the animals. She was in need of some new clothing, seeing as her warrior attire was close to running its full course. At first she thought of getting more battle armor but quickly pushed that thought aside. For the time being, she didn't want anyone to know who she was. Remembering one of the many stories that her mother told her as a child, she instantly thought of the amazons. The warrior women made there clothing from the skin of animals. While the blonde was pretty sure that this new attire would make her look more rugged and animalistic, she couldn't seem to care.

Spotting a deer, thirty paces north of her tree, the blonde remained perfectly still. All she had to do was bide her time. The deer ate a bit of grass and then looked around, as if it could sense that someone was watching it. Seeing and hearing nothing, it continued to eat.

Surveying for more grass, the creature continued to move toward Callisto's tree. It was now twenty paces north.

With each step the blonde counted down in her mind.

" sixteen paces... fifteen paces... fourteen paces... thirteen paces... twelve paces... eleven paces... ten paces... nine paces... eight paces... seven paces... six paces... five paces... four paces... three paces... two paces... one."

The deer now stood directly under Callisto's branch. Quietly pulling her knife, the immortal stood for a moment. Allowing her prey a few moments to check its surroundings. Seeing the coast was clear, the animal let its guard down.

Callisto smiled. The animal thought that it was safe.

With lightning speed, Callisto pounced unto the animal's back. The deer crashed to the ground, trying to get up but finding a heavy weight on its back. Callisto had the animal pinned to the ground and without hesitation stabbed the animal in the neck. The knife cut through the lung and the animals jugular causing for it to bleed out heavily. Within seconds the deer was dead.

Wiping the blood off of her knife and unto the deer hide, Callisto surveyed her surroundings. She'd been in that tree for almost an hour trying to find the perfect prey. Smiling at her catch, she pulled out another knife and began to skin the deer.

Noticing the amount of blood that would be involved, she thought better and picked up the deer and brought it to the lake. She didn't want to walk back into the village with deer blood all over her.

Although tomorrow, she would have human blood all over her instead.

After a few steps toward the lake, Callisto stopped. A strange feeling had come over her. She turned around and looked at her surroundings. Closing her eyes, she focused on her hearing.

There wasn't another person close to her in this forest for another mile.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Turning around, she walked toward a large bush filled with berries. The feeling continued to grow stronger as she walked toward it. Looking behind the bush, Callisto found nothing. Turning back around, the blonde shook the feeling and continued toward the lake.

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><p>As Callisto walked out of the forest, two beings materialized by that same bush.<p>

"Wow I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it myself. She's just like you Artemis. I mean just look at her. The way she moves. The way she caught that deer. All I can say is... wow. Aside from the blonde hair and the skinny frame, I'd say she was your twin." Aphrodite couldn't contain herself. After watching her niece for only an hour, she had no doubt that she belonged to Artemis.

By the Gods, the girl was just like her sister. She turned in Artemis' direction and saw tears begin to fall from her sister's eyes.

The brunette wiped them away with her hand as she continued to look in the direction that Callisto had walked toward.

That was her baby girl. She hadn't seen her this close since she was born. Arleia didn't know that she'd visited their baby every night in her crib, during her first year of life.

She thought back to Callisto as a baby with her golden blonde hair, her chubby cheeks, and her perfect brown eyes. She used to smile at her every night.

This is what she had missed. Because of her stupidity. Because of her pride and anger. Look at what she caused.

"What have I done?" Artemis shook her head and looked at her sister who was beginning to get worried. Smiling weakly she stepped toward the goddess of love and began to speak.

"She's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. She has my eyes and my height. She has Arleia's hair and her frame. She also had dad's nose." Artemis chuckled at the thought. Callisto had Zeus' nose. Her father would be furious with her but she knew after he finally took a look at his grand daughter he would probably smile.

If not only for a second before he realized, she was the one the fates for told would destroy greece.

"Does she know that you are her mother?" Aphrodite suspected that Callisto had no idea. After her sister shook her head "no" she got the answer she expected. "I can tell by just looking at her that she has a few demigod abilities. I don't think she has Hercules' strength but her hearing, speed, and senses. Those are not human." Artemis nodded.

"She may have a few god-like powers, I don't know yet. Most demigod's maintain and begin the usage of there powers by there teens. So far, Callisto only has minor things. However, with her immortality, she can gain powers in other areas. We'll have to wait and see." Artemis began to worry. If Callisto gained more powers, she could further her destruction.

"Don't worry Arty. We'll figure something out." Aphrodite smiled and then put on a serious face. "She's your daughter, that means she can't be totally evil. If there's good in her we'll find it." Artemis nodded and walked toward the tree Callisto stood in.

"Did you see how she was able to sense us? We both had our Godly shields on and she was still able to sense us. Thats something that only God's are able to do Aphrodite." Artemis turned around and put her fingers through her hair.

"I don't think it was just the fact that two God's were by that bush Artemis. I think a lot of that had to do with her mamma being so close to her." Aphrodite smiled at the faint blush and pride that showed on Artemis' face. "Come on, it's time to tell Zeus what's going on. He's been patient enough.

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><p>Callisto stood by a small camp fire watching the deer meat roast. Adding a couple herbs and spices to the meet she pulled out a few pieces of bread and began to throw it into the lake. She'd spotted a few ducks near by.<p>

Looking toward the sun, Callisto saw it begin to settle. She had about an hour before she had to meet the black smith. Depending on how good the sword came out, Callisto would judge whether or not the black smith was good enough for her army. She could tell that the other woman had seen her fair share of battles. She'd noticed a faint scare under the brunette's chin and another one on her arm.

No doubt from battle.

The way the other woman sized her up was another clue. Only warriors sized people up that way. Focusing on other things aside from the black smith's warrior scars, Callisto recognized how beautiful the other woman was. Her long dark hair, blue eyes, and tall height made her a sight to behold. Callisto was pretty sure, she was strikingly beautiful in her battle armor.

Shaking her head Callisto began to focus on her reason for being in Potaidaea. She needed to find out if there were any guards standing within the village, did the village contain any suitable men she could put in her army, and what would be the best way to take over the village without taking casualties on her side. Sitting there thinking, the immortal came up with the best plan.

The village contained no guards and the men were mainly farmers but with good training they could become pretty good soldiers. The village contained a major supply of livestock and grain, so she could take the supplies and feed her army with them. The best way to go about this would be to attack at night. No one would suspect a thing and she would only have to use fifty of her men.

Afterward's she would burn the village to the ground. Like a smart leader, Callisto had left the other villages she'd attacked standing.

But this one was personal. Xena and her little bard would surely hear about this and they would come running. By the time they'd get here, the entire village would be destroyed and Callisto's major plan against Xena would begin.

Callisto had one more thing left to do and that was locating Gabrielle's family.

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><p>"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SHE IS YOUR DAUGHTER?" The king of the gods was furious. His youngest daughter had made him so. Looking around his thrown, he could tell that he'd frightened some of the other minor gods. His daughter looked absolutely terrified.<p>

"Daddy, just let Artemis explain." Aphrodite stayed with Artemis for emotional support. She knew how bad Zeus' temper could get. Zeus sat on his thrown and nodded for Artemis to continue.

He was to angry to speak. Taking a deep breath, Artemis began her tale.

"Forty seasons ago, my amazons were engaging in a war with the centaurs. There was blood on both sides and my amazons had lost a fifth of there population because of the battles." Artemis looked at Aphrodite and the blonde goddess grabbed her hand and nodded for her to continue.

"The war was over land. The centaurs and my amazons believed that the land within the northern area of greece belonged to them. One of my chief amazons had gone in to one of the final battles and was severely injured. She knew that she was dying. She was brought back to her village and three days later she died. Before she died she'd prayed for me to keep her daughter safe. When she crossed into the amazon land of the dead I'd spoke to her and told her that I heard her prayers. I said that I would keep her daughter safe." Artemis once again had tears falling from her eyes.

"Her daughter's name was Arleia." Aphrodite gasped at the realization of what occurred. Zeus had yet to catch on.

"The following summer, a group of bandits attacked that same village. My amazons stood there ground and beat them in battle but a few of those bandits got away. One had kidnapped Arleia and brought her with him. I watched over the girl and I didn't allow for anything to happen to her. One fatal night, the same man who kidnapped Arleia attempted to rape her and thats when I stepped in." Artemis saw the grunt of disapproval from her father but didn't care.

She never regretted killing that disgusting pig of a man. Even now she smiled sometimes when she thought of his dead body being thrown into the river.

"I took the girl and brought her to a near by village named Cirra and the town's people took care of her. I continued to watch over her and as the years passed, she grew into the most beautiful woman that I'd ever seen. She was perfect father. She was five summers when I left her in Cirra and the next time I saw her, she was twenty four summers." Feeling a blush creep through her, Artemis tried to focus on something other then her father's knowing gaze.

"I fell in love with her. I appeared to her as another mortal woman, at first but, she could always feel that there was something different about me. Then I told her the truth and at first she was frightened but then she grew accustomed to who I was. The night of her twenty fifth birth day I told her I loved her and when she said it back, I've never felt such joy. We made love and I planned from that day forward to make her my wife." Zeus' anger had subsided and now he just wanted to know the rest of the story.

"Continue Artemis" ,Zeus said.

"I'd continued to see her but a couple of months later she began to ignore me and one day I'd had enough. So I appeared in her room and demanded for her to tell me why she stopped talking to me. I didn't have to wait for her answer because I saw it. She was pregnant. She said it was mine and that she'd never been with anyone else. In the deepest parts of my heart I knew she wasn't lying to me but, I just couldn't believe it. I didn't believe that two women could create a child. Regardless if one of them was a God or not. I called her a harlot and told her she was no longer in my favor. I said that the child was a bastard and left." Artemis looked up and saw the strong look of disapproval in her father's eyes. He looked so angry with her but what made Artemis begin to sob was the disappointment in his eyes. He shook his head and picked up his daughter, sitting her in one of the chairs next two his throne. He needed to know what else happened. Artemis saw his look and continued speaking.

"I never spoke to her after that but I continued to watch over her until the day she died. When our daughter was born, she begged me to see her but I stayed away. It wasn't until curiosity got the best of me that I saw the baby while she was sleeping. She was perfect father. Her blonde hair, her length, those dimples, and when she opened her eyes and I saw my own looking back at me, I knew. She was mine." Zeus chuckled at the description.

"Eleven seasons later, Cirra was attacked. The warlord Xena was coming for supplies but a fire broke out and almost everyone in that village died. Arleia was raped and beaten before she died and her other daughter was burned alive. My daughter, Callisto barely made it out alive. She'd passed out in a burning house and some villagers grabbed her before the house caved in. They brought her to another village and left her there but I could feel that within her the damage was done. I never looked for her again because my heart couldn't take it. I should have because maybe I could have stopped this. Her hatred, because of that day in Cirra, has made her a ruthless killer. Hades has hundreds of people in the underworld because of her." The look of shock on Zeus' face said it all.

His grand daughter was Callisto. He had no idea. He'd heard of her through a few mindless ramblings between Ares and Athena but, that was all. He thought she was disposed of by Xena. Apparently she hadn't. He'd seen her once, on one of his many rendezvous with mortal women and never stopped to look at her. He looked at both of his daughters and saw how Artemis was falling apart.

"We'll fix this Artemis. She's your daughter and my grand daughter and I will not allow for the fates vision of the future to come true. They warned us for a reason. They came to you first for a reason." Artemis nodded.

Aphrodite watched as all the minor Gods began to gossip. It was only a matter of time before Hera found out and she was sure that the Queen of the Gods would not be happy.

* * *

><p>Xena and Gabrielle were on there way to Amphipolis.<p>

Xena had just been brought back to life from the ambrosia and her body was not at it's normal strength. Riding her horse, she spotted Gabrielle walking next to her humming a song. She owed her life to the bard. She'd went against her own amazons just to bring her back to life. The only thing that she regretted was the amazons who were injured bringing her back. Velaska, the amazon princess, was the only one that died. Her heart ached for the loss of having to kill the strong willed amazon.

Just another one of her regrets.

Xena continued to ride until she felt someone was watching her. Gabrielle turned around and gave her a look letting her know she sensed it to.

"Three on your left and four on my right." Xena murmured. Gabrielle nodded positioning her staff. Xena grabbed her chakram.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh" Seven men came toward them screaming from behind the trees.

Gabrielle went toward the three on her right. She hit the first one on the head with her staff. Laying him out cold. The other two began circling her, readying their attack. As they both came toward her with their swords, she ducked and rolled. Not able to stop there momentum. The two thugs ran into one another. Already dizzy, they both ran toward Gabrielle. The short blonde hit them both in the stomach with her staff, then kicked one in the teeth and the other in the groin. The last one was his hit in the head with her staff.

Both men fell to the ground.

Xena took her chakram and threw it toward a tree were it bounced it went toward three of the four men, killing them instantly. The fourth saw his three dead friends and saw the others laying motionless on the ground. He turned around and tried to run but he couldn't run fast enough.

Argo was fast on his heels. Xena flipped and kicked the last thug onto his back. After shoving him by his collar, she gave him the pinch.

"Why did you attack us?" Xena was not in a good mood. They'd barely left the amazon lands two days ago and already they were being attacked by thugs.

"We came from a village in southern greece. The village and others surrounding it have been overtaken by another war lord. That was our turf but we left for more fruitful grounds." The man's nose was beginning to bleed.

"What's the name of the war lord and how big of an army does he have?" Xena began to feel anxious She'd been dead for three days and come to find out there was a war lord raiding villages, right under her nose.

"I don't know her name. When we saw her army, it was close to three hundred men. I'm sure it's close to four hundred now." Shock covered Xena's face. "Please I can't breathe and it hurts. Please" Xena shook her head.

"Where was this war lord's army heading next and describe her to me."

"Last time we spotted the army, it was heading east toward Potaideia." Gabrielle gasped and a look of worry took over her face. Xena pushed the man to continue. "The woman is blonde, skinny, and she has brown eyes." Xena took the pinch off the thug and the man passed out. She turned around and looked at Gabrielle who seemed scared.

"Xena, my...my...my sister, my parents, my friends. They'll be demolished. And the way he described there leader, you don't think..." Gabrielle didn't continue. She saw the look in Xena's eyes. There was only one woman other than Xena herself who could command an army that big.

"Callisto", Xena said the name with spite and a hint of regret.

Last time she spoke to Hercules, he said that the crazy immortal was trapped in the golden apple's tomb. Apparently he was wrong. "Come on Gabrielle, Potaideia is a two days ride from here. We'll be cutting it close but we may make it if we ride through the night." Xena pulled Gabrielle on argo and they rode away as fast as they could.

* * *

><p>Stepping through the black smith's door, Callisto spotted her sword laying in a bucket of water. Grabbing it, she pulled it out of the water and began inspecting. The weight of the sword had grown but the feel was incredible. The sharpness of it was perfect and the grip on the handle more than appeased her. For the amount of time the black smith had been given, she did spectacular.<p>

Callisto was impressed.

"Very nice", she said

"I see you like the sword. It took me the rest of my day, but I think you'll find that it's to your satisfaction." Alexandra was wearing a white shift. Apparently, she'd just bathed. Her hand had a towel in it and her hair was still wet. Callisto licked her lips, while looking at the other woman's form.

It didn't go unnoticed.

"It is to my satisfaction.", Callisto dropped ten dinars and walked toward the door.

"My fee was three dinars." , Alexandra yelled.

"It's worth ten." Callisto turned around and stated. Her body hadn't felt this strange in a long time. Alexandra walked toward her and gave her body a look over. Without warning she kissed the blonde.

"How much was that worth?" she whispered back and then kissed the blonde again. Stepping back, she dropped her towel and moved the shoulder blades of her shift, letting her clothing fall to the ground. Callisto looked her over and with a growl, kissed her hungrily.

Alexandra had her answer.

* * *

><p>So, what do you guys think? Next chapter, Potaideia is attacked. Will Xena and Gabrielle get there in time? How will the rest of the Gods take the news of Callisto being Artemis' daughter? Last but not least, what do you guys think of Alexandra?<p>

Don't forget to post a review... Thanxx


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